STOCKHOLM, May 4 (Reuters) – Sweden’s government confirmed on Monday it has had contact with Italy’s Fiat (FIA.MI) regarding General Motors’ (GM.N) struggling Swedish automaker Saab.

“We have had contact with Fiat,” said Hakan Lind, spokesman at the Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications. “The meeting was about Saab.”

Lind said the government had been in contact with Fiat a couple of weeks ago, but said nothing concrete had been decided. He declined to provide any further details.

The carmaker won more time to restructure in early April when a Swedish court extended the period in which the company is protected from creditors. GM has said it plans to cut ties to Saab by the end of the year.

I just watched a video by the Daily Show where they showcase Sweden in reference to the idea of “socialism” being applied to the United States today with Government Motors (GM) formerly known as General Motors and the financial industries bailouts as of late.

In this video they cover the Stockholm, Sweden area where I used to live, along with some interviews at a SCANIA factory as well!

The portrayal of Sweden in this video was one of the many reasons that contributed to my decision to live in Sweden some years ago.

I highly suggest you watch this film and please provide your feedback in the comments below. I hope this serves you well for some good humor for the start of the week.

Through my recent contact who is currently standing on the floor of the Saab Car Museum awaiting the press conference, I have just been able to phone the Swedish Court in VÃ¤nersborg to obtain both the English & Swedish reconstruction documents for Saab Automobile AB via e-mail in PDF format for our review!

These documents are publicly available and the staff is very helpful with any questions you may have. If you want an official copy, please don’t hesitate to e-mail me!, it will be the same as what you read above, except that there are more pages in Swedish. In the meantime, the document above is the only section in English, pages 7 through 11 only for our easy reference.

TROLLHÃ„TTAN – Updated 13.20 – Soon after nine o’clock on Friday morning left the Saab automobile, an application for reorganization to the District Court in VÃ¤nersborg. – It is a plan to make Saab more attractive to outside investors, “said Joe Oliver at Saab Information. Just before lunch, it became clear with the administrator – the lawyer Guy Lofalk

Shortly after nine o’clock on Friday morning left the Saab automobile, an application for reorganization to the District Court in VÃ¤nersborg. Ingrid Lund on the expedition deliver the application to TTELA.

A few minutes after the District Court in VÃ¤nersborg opening reception gave officers from Saab in the application.
– I have just registered and have paid for it, “says Kerstin KarlstrÃ¶m the reception.

This means that companies will have an administrator who will examine whether it can live on.
– This is no shock to us, “said Joe Oliver. This is a continuation of the plan we have to make Saab more independently.

He said that Saab has had contacts with outside investors, but there is no Said player who is interested in Saab – right now. But the plan is to bring Saab “back to the roots” and get the new cars that are in the planning.
– This is a positive step, “said Joe Oliver.

Right now it is business as usual at the Saab factory. Cars should be built, salaries paid, suppliers get paid and above: you can still order and buy new Saab.
In the morning the personnel is informed. A press conference is scheduled for at half three on Friday afternoon.

During Friday morning, the media received information that the factory closed down.
But both the Saab and the Union rejected the data. “It is just speculation,” it is argued from Saab’s information department.

Lawyer Guy Lofalk from Stockholm is designated as the administrator of the company. He is an experienced bankruptcy trustee and fÃ¶retagsrekonstruktÃ¶r. Saab has previously had contact with him and he has said that he assumes the task.
While parent company General Motors recommend Guy Lofalk as administrator.

The process will also consulting firm AlixPartners to be connected. The company specializes in company reconstructions.
Creditors’ meeting will take place April 6.

Saab Automobile AB’s future is up to the Swedish Government to financially support their car company no matter how angry they are at General Motors dumping this responsibility on the taxpayers.

I realize that the Swedish Government does not want any money to go to General Motors up in Detroit and I can appreciate and respect this position, certainly.

Since the decision is now ultimately up to the Swedish Government, as Saab Automobile AB’s CEO, Jan-Ã…ke Jonsson has said today, I do ask the international Saab community once again to express their interest in having Sweden financially support Saab Automobile.I request that you contact not only Industry Minister Maud Olofsson like I asked earlier, but the other 4 the decision makers within the Swedish Government who are all listed here on the Regeringen website.

However, the decision makers for Saab Automobile AB appear to be the five individuals below, so copy and paste your message and get it out to all of them. This shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes of your time.

If you also want to call them directly through an international phonecall to really get through, you can call like others have requested Telephone Number (+46 08-405 10 00), and ask for the office of any minister you want to talk to.

I think that the reason that the Swedish Government is firm in their delivery and response to the GM press conference, is that they are frankly angry and disappointed at General Motors. They aren’t happy that GM has basically just thrown Saab on their lap giving up on the brand, saying..now you deal with them. I can understand the Swedish Government’s position at this time, and hope that the heat will lessen and they will be able to think more strategically in continuing Saab and providing it the financial support that it needs with both of the loans.

As I said before and I will say again, Swedish Government, please give Saab Automobile AB the financial support at this time. Yes it is tax payer money, but remember Saab has lost money due to GM’s inability to invest in them, their association with GM.

Maud Olofsson, close the door for state ownership of Saab. She did well during a press conference in Stockholm this morning.

STOCKHOLM – We close the door to take ownership of Saab. It announced Industry Minister Maud Olofsson just at the press conference in Stockholm.

The industry Minister eyes Saab Automobile lost. The statements she made recently at Rosenbad can not be interpreted otherwise.
– It is difficult to see GM take ownership of Saab now. It is difficult to see any other owners to enter. And we close the door to take ownership.[…]

-GM takes his hand from Saab and say to the Swedish taxpayers that now it is your turn to pay. It does GM not in Germany, for example, she said to SVT’s Rapport.

Minister of Industry, now want to use the skills held by Saab to build something new. -We are not prepared to buy the car plants, “she says.

There is so much money, and uncertain whether it will make a profit.

Nutrition minister promises no specific aid package to TrollhÃ¤ttan. -Every time we are on a press, you want new packages: Our approach is to try to use the resources we have, “she says.

Under Secretary of State JÃ¶ran HÃ¤gglund (C), the other built in TrollhÃ¤ttan in the future.

-It is an important message to everyone in TrollhÃ¤ttan. The shorter the process, the better for all involved, “says Hagglund.

According to HÃ¤gglund, it would be more expensive to go into a holding in Saab than letting all Saab Employees go unemployed in 4-5 years.

When the Minister for Trade visited SVT’s Gomorron morning she said that she was “incredibly disappointed” at GM. She thinks that Saab’s American owners should take hold of their problems much earlier.[…]

Maud Oloffsson, the Industry Minister of Sweden, who has initially been a proponent of Saab really is now the ultimate decision maker for the future of Saab Automobile AB’s road to independence.

I am asking you to contact her directly through her website in order to send your message loud and clear about the need for Sweden to financially Support Saab Automobile at this time.

This idea, found on another site, is a good idea and the more people that we can send messages to, the better. I know that the international Saab Community, has done quite well in our organization, even what we managed to do back with Car Magazine in our voting. If we can pull that off, we can certainly pull this message campaign off, because this is significant and probably one of the most important tasks we could take on as a member of the international Saab Community. It’s easy, just click the link, write your message, and hit send, that’s it!

Please use this opportunity to express just how important Saab Automobile’s existence is to you, your family, your lives through safety innovations, environmental technologies, etc, etc.

I have already sent my letter, now is the time for you to send yours, while you are at it, you might as well send the same letter to both of her Press Secretaries as well at this link here (http://www.regeringen.se/sb/d/11610/a/120788)

I have placed a poll below asking you if you (honestly) submitted a brief message to Maud Olofsson expressing your interest in Saab Automobile’s future in Sweden.

Please vote honestly once you have sent her a message so we can see how many people have expressed their opinions to the Swedish Government on topic.

The Swedish Government’s reason, as recently discovered through some anonymous discussions I have had with some Saab History insiders as well as a brief mention on Reuters has clarified this reason for me.

The Swedish Government does not want to offer any financial support this early in the game that would be earmarked for Saab because they believe it would probably end up in GM’s hands and be squandered in Detroit.

I am hopeful that GM as part of their Business Plan that will be presented in 1 and a half hours from now, will show that they are willing to provide Saab to the Swedish Government for relatively little cash, and GM can basically be cut ties from Saab over a period of time as Saab Automobile vies for full independence.

If the Swedish Government is waiting for GM to “carve out” Saab to be fully independent “before” the Swedish Government provides cash, I am afraid that will not work, because a number of Saab Automobile’s products currently depend on GM factories combined with parts, patents, etc.

I understood that the section that focuses on Saab Automobile’s viability within the GM Business plan would show how Saab Automobile would become independent from GM, and how it is making strides to be financially, environmentally sustainable and fully Swedish in order to satisfy both the Swedish Government’s and the European Investment Bank’s loands.

I certainly hope that the Swedish Government is not expecting Saab to be able to get there prior to getting the financial support because that would kind of defeat the purpose at this point because that road to independence and sustainability will certainly take some time, not 1-2 months, that’s for sure. Furthermore the road to these objectives requires funding and needs to take place first, so this will be an interesting game of chicken once the plan is submitted is submitted.